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Disability Awareness Assembly Encourages ‘Different’ Friendships

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — A high school in Schuylkill County took time Wednesday to teach its students how to interact with people considered “disabled.” “...
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SCHUYLKILL HAVEN -- A high school in Schuylkill County took time Wednesday to teach its students how to interact with people considered “disabled.”

"Why do people treat us different than others?"

When kids with disabilities go to school, they sometimes have a different social experience than students who are considered "normal."

"We are here today to make you aware of the fact that even though there are differences in students with disabilities, they want to be treated like any other person," said Schuylkill Haven Area High School teacher Kara Drunkenmiller.

"Some of our students knew how to smile at the students but didn't know how to communicate, so we were like, this is our chance. We wanted to make a difference," said life skills teacher Megan Lengle.

A committee of teachers at Schuylkill Haven Area High School has been working for months to organize this disability awareness assembly for eighth and ninth graders in the district.

The goal is to help teach students how to embrace and include classmates with disabilities, how to strike up a conversation, and maybe, a new friendship.

Special Olympic gold medalist Joshua Stranix calls Schuylkill Haven home. The man with mosaic Down syndrome was a guest speaker at this disability awareness assembly.

"It's always great for them to be friends with us, so we can be connected with them," Stranix said.

He gave some tips on the little things these students can do to make a difference in the life of someone with a disability.

"Even saying hi to us in the hall and saying our name. It will make us feel like we belong."

The school hopes to make the disability awareness assembly an annual event for incoming students until the time assemblies like this aren't needed anymore.

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